Doctrine

A. Bible

We believe the Bible, the Holy Scriptures, to be the inspiredWord of God, the supreme and final authority in all matters offaith and practice, and the true basis of Christian union andfellowship. II Timothy 3: 16-17; II Peter 1:19-21

B. God

We believe in one God, creator of all, holy, sovereign, eternal,existing in three equal persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Genesis 1: 1; John 10:30; John 4:24

C. Christ

We believe in the absolute and essential deity of Christ Jesus our Lord; in His eternal existence with the Father in pre-incarnateglory, in His supernatural conception, sinless life, atoning death,bodily resurrection, triumphant ascension, mediation ministry and personal return. John 10:38; John 14:9-12; John 1:1; John 17; Galatians 4:4; I Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 9:24;I Corinthians 15:20-23; I John 2:1

D. Holy Spirit

We believe in the person of the Holy Spirit, His eternal and essential deity, His work of convicting, regenerating, and sanctifying the believer and in His ministry to produce His fruit and gifts within the Church. John 16: 5-15; Romans 8:5-6; Corinthians 12: 1-11

E. Man

We believe human beings were created by God, that through disobedience we became dead in trespasses and sins; and areentirely dependent on the mercy of God. Genesis 1:26;Genesis 2:7; Romans 3:9-23; Romans 5:12; Ephesians 2:1-3;Genesis 3

F. Salvation

We believe that salvation is through the sovereign grace of Godand that it is appropriated through faith in the atoning sacrificesof the Lord Jesus Christ for sin; that justification is by faith alonein the all-sufficient sacrifice and resurrection of the Lord JesusChrist. Ephesians 2:8; I Corinthians 15:1-4; Romans 5:10-11;Romans 4:25; John 3:16; Romans 10-9-10

G. Future Things

We believe in the personal, bodily and glorious return of the Lord Jesus Christ, in the bodily resurrection of the just and the unjustand the eternal reward of the righteous and the retribution of the wicked. Acts 1:11; John 5:28-29; Luke 16:19-31; John 14:1-3; Revelation 20-11-15; Revelation 21:7-8; Revelation 22:12

H. The Local Church

We believe the Church is a company of believers, immersed intothe name of the Trinity, called out from the world, separated untothe Lord Jesus Christ, voluntarily associated for the ministry ofthe Word, the mutual edification of its members, the propagationof the gospel of saving grace, and the observance of itsordinances. We believe the Church is an independent body under thesovereign power of the Lord Jesus Christ, the great Head of the Church, exercising its own divinely awarded gifts, precepts, and privileges, with no ecclesiastical authority higher than itself,meeting for fellowship on the Lord’s Day, the first day of theweek, as Scripturally appointed.Acts 2:39-47; Hebrews 12:23; Colossians 1:18-24;Ephesians 4:4-6; I Corinthians 1:2; Ephesians 1:17-23;Ephesians 2: 19-22

I. Ordinances

We believe that there are two ordinances for the Church,regularly observed in the New Testament: i. Baptism — the immersion of the believer, in water, into the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, whereby the believer obeys Christ’s command and sets forth his or her identity with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection. Colossians 2:12; Romans 6:3-5; Acts 2:41; Acts 8:37-38; Matthew 28:10-20 ii. The Lord’s Supper — wherein the believer partakes of the two elements, bread and wine, which symbolize the Lord’s body and shed blood, proclaiming His death until He comes. I Corinthians 11:23-29

J. The Church, the State, and Civil Government

We believe in the separation of Church and State andacknowledge that civil authorities are ordained of God for thegood order of society. Romans 13:1; I Timothy 2:1-3;I Peter 2:13-18